I suggest your winch choice be revisted! The Warn M8000 may not be a good choice for here in Colorado and Utah where it will heatup with long or repeated use. The M8000 is rated for only occasional use. Your second choice may be superior where it is rated for frequent use. The M8000 I believe is made for Warn as an inexpensive alternative to its own manufactured winches to provide a wide spectrum of products for a wide variety of buyers with different degrees of knowledge and/or uses. I believe the M8000 winch is available under several different manufacturers' labels.